Franchise Tax Board

Buyers all across the nation are making their dreams come true. They’re signing on the dotted line and grabbing hold of the keys to a family home. Despite record low interestrates, many potential buyers are delaying the decision to buy. What’s keeping you on the sidelines?

Let’s take a look at the top reasons to own a home.

Building equity. Writing a check to the landlord is like lining their pockets with your potential equity. It is money you never get back. Owning your home means building equity. Each and every mortgage payment is going towards paying down part of the principal.

Predictability. Gas and grocery prices may rise, but a fixed rate mortgage is as predictable as they come. Your mortgage payment will be X amount for the life of the loan.

Tax Breaks. Did you know that you can deduct the interest you pay each year on your home? You can deduct the cost of your property taxes. Even making energy efficient upgrades can be tax deductible.

Appreciation. Over the years (real estate is a long term investment) your home should gain value. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) “The number of U.S. households is expected to rise 15% over the next decade, creating continued high demand for housing.”

Social Benefits. We’ve talked about the financial benefits of owning a home, but did you know that homeowners generally rate themselves as being happier and healthier than their renting counterparts? Part of this is thanks to the stability that homeownership brings. Homeownership can be a great way to secure future financial security and freedom. So, what’s stopping you from getting into the market? There’s never been a better time to buy! exert from realtytimes.com

For tax, investment or ownership advice we suggest you contact an attorney or certified public accountant. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Feeling inspired? Tired of renting? Want to paint that wall hot pink? Give us a call for a no pressure overview on what it takes to get started down the path to home ownership in the Temecula Valley. We’ve been helping people just like you for 18 years!

Call, Text, or Email April Greer at 951-522-0518 or april@teamgreer.com

Probate is a scary word in real estate since it is not a majority sale type. Agents and Buyers have little experience with the ins and outs so the typical result is to avoid these types of sales. We’ve had the privilege this year to participate in 4 probate transactions and successful court approved closings so we have a little more confidence in the process and what is expected by the parties involved.

So what is probate? Probate is the legal process that results in a court validating someone’s will or determining that he or she died without one. The court, as part of the probate, will appoint someone to handle the bills of the deceased as well as his or her assets.

I’ve located an article that really drills down and explains some of the finer points here at

Overview of the California Probate Process Please keep in mind that laws are constantly changing. We strongly recommend that you seek legal counsel prior to making any decisions based on information provided by this blog.

If you find yourself or a family member in a situation where a probate sale may be necessary, please give us a call so that we can share our marketing strategies. Keep in mind that these type of sales are generally avoided so an excellent marketing strategy and good communication skills will make a huge difference in bridging the gap of understanding with the public resulting in a faster sale at a higher price.

Our primary areas of experience include Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, Hemet, Winchester, French Valley and Lake Elsinore. We look forward to your call! April Greer at 951-522-0518 or april@teamgreer.com

California Association of Realtors (CAR) has been fighting to protect underwater homeowners from facing state income tax on debt forgiven in a short sale.

Recently CAR received clarification from the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board that debt forgiven in a short sale is not income. Therefore, CAR will not be pursuing the short sale debt forgiveness provisions in SB 30.

Thanks very much to thousands of REALTORS who fought for their clients by responding to this issue. And yes, we were 2 of them.

A lot has changed on the short sale front. In fact many of the lenders are NOT even requiring that you prove a financial hardship in order to get your short sale approved. For a private and confidential consultation at our office for what steps to take to short sale your home, call or email April Greer at (951) 522-0518 or april@teamgreer.com